Leave Me Sunshine
by PuraJazzBot
Summary: [G1]... Sunstreaker is chosen as one of the mechs bound for the Moonbase. Sideswipe is being left behind at Autobot City. How will the Twins handle the news... TFs property of HasTak...Contains Lambofluff..


**Leave Me Sunshine**

Prowl, Jazz and Ratchet stared at their leader in utter disbelief as they sat in his newly-constructed office at Autobot City. For his part, the Autobot Leader met their gazes evenly since he had indeed expected and prepared for this type of reaction.

"I fail to see the logic in this decision," Prowl said.

"That's because there is none," Ratchet snapped.

"I'm inclined to agree with 'em Prime," said Jazz. "It just ain't right. They've worked well together all these years, and as the Earthlings say – if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

"However, the moon bases are completely different environments from either Earth or Cybertron, and I don't want to risk both of them incase something goes wrong," Prime reasoned.

"Then why risk them at all?" Ratchet asked. "You have plenty of other warriors to choose from, that are better suited – Tracks or Trailbreaker – and by Primus, you're already taking the Dinobots."

"I need a seasoned, front-line warrior who can think for himself," replied Prime. "I understand splitting them up may be hard on them, but it will help them become stronger in the long run if they can learn to function independently from each other."

"However, there is also the possibility that splitting them up could have the completely opposite affect in that they fail to perform at all," Prowl reasoned. "They have never been apart from each other before."

"I would like to think they're stronger than that," Prime said.

"You like to think of a lot of things Prime," Ratchet said, his voice dangerously low. "You're not doing this just to try and break them to your whim are you?"

Prime gave Ratchet a look that could have stripped paint. "I'm doing this to try and get Cybertron back. Unless you'd like to gift over our home planet completely to the Decepticons and live here on Earth forever."

Jazz placed a hand on Ratchet's forearm before the medic exploded.

"Surely there's gotta be a better way Prime?" he asked. "Like maybe replace one of the others – Hound maybe, he loves Earth man, he'd gladly stay behind."

"I'm sorry Jazz." Prime shook his head. "Preparations have already been made. We need Hound, we need everyone I've chosen."

"Except Sideswipe," Ratchet growled.

"I've already said I don't want to risk him. He is not as strong as Sunstreaker is, nor does he have the same armor to withstand heavy firepower. He's more advantageous to have here on Earth."

"And what if they rebel? Sunstreaker especially?" Prowl asked.

"We can handle that. He is comfortable with most of you. At worst, we have the Dinobots to handle him if he gets out of hand."

"What about Sideswipe? He's just as volatile," Prowl reminded him.

"I have asked Ultra Magnus to keep an optic on him, and to be honest, he is not as prone to psychotic outbursts as Sunstreaker is."

Ratchet's face went black. "If you don't mind me saying, you know a rat's ass about your soldiers."

"I do mind. You're dismissed, Chief Medical Officer Ratchet. Infact, we are all done here. My decision is final, and we leave the day after tomorrow as planned. I will not have anymore said on the matter. Are we clear?"

"Clear as crystal, Prime." Jazz stood up and pulled Ratchet with him.

"You're making a mistake Prime, mark my words," Ratchet growled as Jazz all but dragged him to the door.

"Consider them marked. DISMISSED, Ratchet," Prime said firmly.

Prowl got up as well and followed the other two out, while Prime ignored the fact that none of them had bothered with a salute. He'd expected that as well. He leaned back in his chair with a sigh. Not all decisions were easy.

0o0

Prowl and Jazz accompanied Ratchet down to the med bay mainly to make sure the enraged medic didn't do any damage to himself or anyone else along the way. Once inside, Ratchet picked up a laser scalpel and flung it with all his might at a wall that already bore the scars of the CMO's previous fits of temper. The scalpel embedded itself neatly in the metal.

"Fragging son of a glitched android!" Ratchet fumed.

The black-and-whites knew better than to tell him to calm down.

"He IS the boss, Ratch-man," Jazz said. "What he says goes."

"Yeah, but I don't have to fragging like it," Ratchet replied.

"None of us like it, I assure you," said Prowl. "But I am not so concerned about what might happen in the future. I am more concerned about how we are going to break the news to them NOW."

The three fell silent. None of them wanted to be the one to tell Sideswipe and Sunstreaker that they were going to be living apart for an indefinite period of time.

"Bring Sunstreaker to me Jazz," Ratchet said at last. "I'll talk to him."

"I will tackle Sideswipe in my office," Prowl said.

0o0

Sunstreaker stalked out of one of the exits of Autobot City with firm, determined steps. While he had seemed to take the news fairly well, both Jazz and Ratchet – as well as himself – knew that he wanted nothing more than to march right into Prime's office and tell him exactly how and where he could stuff his order, if he didn't shoot him clean through the head first. His rational mind knew better though. Doing it would make things worse, but Primus forbid one of those peskier Minibots got in his way right now. He wanted to find his brother before the red warrior did anything drastic. Prowl had been left unharmed, which was a good sign, but he wanted to find him before the red warrior's self-control ran out.

He found Sideswipe down by a lake, not far from Autobot City, lying face-down under a tree and gazing out over the water. Now and then an angry tear or two would spill from an optic. Sunstreaker – having run all the way – dropped to his knees on the grass, beside him.

"Sideswipe…" was he could manage.

"Don't." Sideswipe's voice was ragged. "Please don't go."

"You know we don't have a choice," Sunstreaker replied.

"Yes we do! You're LETTING them take you away!"

"I'm not LETTING them do anything. Don't you know what could happen if we tried to fight back? They'd deactivate us, or one of us. Do you want that?"

"This is as good as being deactivated."

"No its not and you know it. Its only going to be for a little while. First chance I get, I'll get myself transferred back here. Jazz already said he'd help me, and I know Prowl and Ratchet will too. We just need to see what the situation is on Cybertron first. You might even get called up to the moon base."

Sideswipe looked at his twin, optics moist. "You promise?"

"I promise." Sunstreaker placed a hand on his spark chamber to show he meant it. "Please don't cry bro, it hurts me too."

"Well I cant help it! My only brother's being taken away from me, how do you want me to deal with it?" Sideswipe angrily drew a hand across his optics. "Want me to be happy about it?"

"Of course slagging not," the yellow mech replied.

"Then don't tell me how I should react!"

"I'm not. I'm just telling you not to cry."

"Why cant I?"

"Because you haven't cried in decades. I'm not used to it, and I don't know how to handle it except…"

"Except what?"

When Sunstreaker didn't answer, Sideswipe looked up at him in time to see a tear slide down the yellow warrior's cheek. Sunstreaker hastily brushed it away, but another followed.

"Oh Primus, Sunny I'm so sorry."

Sideswipe quickly scrambled to his knees and pulled his brother into a fierce hug. Sunstreaker wrapped his arms around his twin and held him close, resting his forehead on the red shoulder, trying to stop any more tears leaking from his optics. Why the frag wouldn't they stop coming? He didn't need this right now. Not after all he'd just said. Sideswipe didn't need this. Sideswipe needed him to be strong.

"I don't want you to think I'm okay with the arrangement. I'm not, I'm just…"

"I know, Sunny." Sideswipe gently stroked his brother's head. "Its alright, I know." His own forehead touched Sunstreaker's shoulder. "I'm trying to deal too, but I forgot you always cry when I cry."

"Slagging right I do."

"And I don't know how to make them stop, the tears I mean. They just keep coming, because I don't want you to go."

His head lowered to the yellow mech's chest-plate, and Sunstreaker held him gently, feeling the hot drops of optic fluid splash onto his armor, as his brother curled up on his lap. Sunstreaker let him, occasionally drawing his hand across Sideswipe's cheeks to wipe away the tears, ignorant of the moisture that stained his own face.

"I don't want to go either Sides," he said.

"Why's Prime doing this to us?" Sideswipe asked. "Did we do anything to piss him off this week or something? I don't understand."

"Neither do I," Sunstreaker admitted.

"Cant we talk to him? Surely he'll listen to us."

"He wouldn't listen to the others, he's not going to give a frag about what we have to say. Jazz said Ratchet's never been so pissed with Prime before."

"Then its hopeless?"

"For now it is."

Sunstreaker gently lifted his brother up so he could look him in the optics. He'd never seen Sideswipe this miserable before, not even when he'd been seriously injured and Sideswipe had stood fearfully with him day and night, hoping he'd cling on to life a little longer. He knew what it was like. He'd done the same when it had been Sideswipe lying wounded. His optics widened as a new thought struck him. What if Sideswipe got hurt while he was away? Who would take care of him? Who would watch over him day and night and silently beg him not to give up? Sideswipe's optics widened in response.

"Sunny, what's wrong?" he asked, worried.

"Don't give up, do you hear me? You are never to give up. Promise me you wont."

"I… I wont… Sunny, what's this about?"

"I'm not going to be here to watch out for you for much longer. I have to know you'll take care of yourself while I'm away."

"Of course I will. You wont be gone long after all right?"

"Not if I can help it."

"I'm more worried about you. You're gonna be up there all alone, and so close to all those 'Cons. Don't do anything stupid alright?"

"Nah, I wont. That's your job."

"Hey!" Sideswipe pouted.

"Just kidding bro."

"Better be."

Sunstreaker looked up at the sky. "Getting late."

"I'm not going back there till its time for you to leave," Sideswipe said firmly.

Sunstreaker sighed in resignation and lay back on the grass. Sideswipe crawled over and curled up next to him. Neither slept that night.

0o0

Jazz paced the shuttle take-off and landing bay nervously. The Twins had been missing for a whole day and a half now, and they were scheduled to launch in ten minutes. Prowl came up.

"Any signs of them?" he asked.

"Not a speck on the horizon," Jazz replied.

"Prime mentioned something about labeling them deserters and issuing a court martial for their arrest if they don't show up," Prowl informed him. "If he can get past Ratchet that is."

Jazz sighed. "I don't know whether to hope they show up or hope they don't."

"They're duty-bound as warriors," Prowl replied. "They'll come."

"I just hope they get here before Prime decides he doesn't need them after all."

No sooner had the words left his mouth when they heard the smooth purr of a pair of finely-tuned sports car engines, and Sideswipe and Sunstreaker drove up to the ramp and transformed. Prowl and Jazz took this as their cue to board the shuttle and let Prime know that the brothers had arrived.

Red twin faced yellow for a moment, before Sunstreaker stepped onto the shuttle's boarding ramp. Sideswipe grabbed his hand and held on.

"Don't make this harder than it already is bro," Sunstreaker said softly. "Please."

He reached down and gently removed Sideswipe's hand, then cupped his brother's face in both of his hands, optics boring into optics – each reflecting the other's grief.

"This is not goodbye," Sunstreaker told him. "I'll be back. Don't you dare get yourself killed while I'm away, because if you do, I will follow you and kick your skidplate all the way to Primus."

Sideswipe managed a weak smile. "Same goes for you."

Sunstreaker nodded. "I know."

The shuttle's engines came on with a hum, indicating that they were ready for lift-off. Sideswipe cringed, turning his head to stare at the ground.

"Hey." Sunstreaker gently wrenched his head back up to look at him. "I love you bro, don't you forget that. I'll always love you." He leaned and placed a soft kiss on the red mech's cheek.

Sideswipe yanked him into a tight hug. "I love you too, bro. Come back to me in one piece alright?"

Sunstreaker nodded again, and Sideswipe placed a kiss of his own on the yellow mech's cheek.

"I have to go now, Sides," Sunstreaker said quietly.

Sideswipe stepped back and off the ramp. "Sunny…"

"No tears. You promised." He took a few steps back towards the shuttle's door. "Later bro."

"Yeah, later."

Both turned their backs on each other and walked away – Sunstreaker into the shuttle where he was met by an unusually gentle-looking Ratchet; Sideswipe to the edge of the safety zone where Mirage had come and stood waiting. As the red mech turned to look back, the door shut on the yellow, sealing him inside.

The shuttle blasted off in a flurry of fire and smoke as it pushed off the platform and rose into the air. Sunstreaker went over to one of the reinforced glass panels and looked out at the red form of Sideswipe that grew smaller as the shuttle rose higher.

"He'll be alright," Ratchet said softly from beside him.

"Yeah, I know," Sunstreaker said, and winced as he felt a tug on his spark. "Still hurts though."

Ratchet smiled wryly. "I know how you feel."

Sunstreaker left the window and went and curled up in an empty seat at the back. Ratchet rejoined Jazz.

"How is he?" Jazz asked.

"Dealing," Ratchet replied. "As well as he knows how. Its best if we left him alone for a while."

Jazz nodded. "Just hope the red one's gonna be okay, too."

0o0

Sideswipe stepped into the launch zone of the shuttle once it had cleared the highest point of Autobot City, squinting slightly against the heated air from the shuttle's afterburners, and winced as he felt something pull on his spark.

"Stay safe Sunny," he murmured.

The vessel kept rising till it soon became nothing more than an orange speck against the early morning sky. Sideswipe watched it, optics glistening, but refusing to break his promise even though Sunstreaker wasn't there to see. Finally Mirage came up and put an arm around his shoulders.

"C'mon Sideswipe," he said. "Let's go inside shall we?"

"Don't want to. Lonely without Sunny there," he replied. "Not used to it."

"You need to get some rest. Didn't you promise Sunstreaker that you would take care of yourself?"

Sideswipe muttered something the spy couldn't catch.

"What was that?" he asked.

"I asked if you could stay with me a while, make it less lonely," Sideswipe repeated.

"I can today, but I cant be there all the time y'know," Mirage replied.

"Then do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Bring me sunflowers."

Mirage chuckled. "Now that I can do."

END.


End file.
